Task 1 Guidance (P1, D1)

P1 - Assume that the Owner is competent in using spreadsheets for normal calculations and
purposes but has never set up a spreadsheet with more than one worksheet and has no experience
of using more complex functions.

You will need to explain how spreadsheets can be used to solve complex problems, and you should
provide examples to support your explanation.

What to cover:

Use of spreadsheets:

• manipulating complex data;

• Presentation to requirements;

• supporting decision making (choose 3 from the following list):

 analysis of data,
 goal seeking,
 scenarios,
 regression,
 data mining

Complex problems:

• Types (choose 4 from the following list):

 cash flow forecasting,

 budget control,
 what‐if scenarios,
 sales forecasting,
 payroll projections,
 statistical analysis,
 trend analysis

D1 - Include examples of how the Owner might model the finances of BCC, how the data might be
interpreted and how the summary information might be presented to them.

D1 builds on P1 by discussing further how organisations can use interpretation methods to analyse
data.

What to cover:

Interpretation:

• Methods

 comparisons of totals,
 trend analysis